In case you missed it, Ryan Lochte was given a 10-month suspension by the USOC, the IOC and USA Swimming, according to TMZ.
Putting that into perspective, USWNT goalie Hope Solo was recently suspended for six months for calling the Swedish team “cowards” at the Olympics and Michael Phelps was suspended for just six months after receiving two DUIs several years ago.
However, thanks to the fiasco that he and his fellow swimmers created at the Rio Olympics, Lochte will now miss out on the 2017 World Championships in Budapest as well as any other competitions for almost a year.
When TMZ caught up with Lochte at LAX immediately following the announcement (video below) he was pretty tight-lipped about the whole situation.
According to TMZ…
The punishment was debated within the USOC, because Phelps put people’s lives at risk and Lochte arguably didn’t lie about a material fact. We’re told some of the USOC decision makers felt Lochte’s punishment was too severe.
Lochte, for his part had no comment with regard to that comparison.
As for what he plans to do with his 10 months, Lochte said “dancing.”
“I’m excited for, not only myself, but everyone else to forget about what happened and to move forward,” Lochte told PEOPLE at the Good Morning America cast reveal party in New York City on Wednesday. “I think that’s what the biggest thing is – what we’re gonna do is just move forward and show off my dancing skills.”
I guess we’ll see if his dancing skills do prove to be enough for people to forget and move forward when it premieres next Monday.